Just as some humans have more of a sweet tooth than others, it turns out some types of cancer cells may crave sugar more strongly than others.
The connection between sugar intake and cancer has long been the focus of research aimed at providing help for cancer patients and those at risk — and a new study shows just why it should be. According to a report featured in Nature Communications, the sugary appeal of sweets may be putting people at increased risk for cancer growth and recurrence.
Researchers at University of Texas at Dallas sought to investigate if there are any differences in sugar dependence among two types of lung cancer: adenocarcinoma (ADC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC). During their work, the scientists discovered that a protein involved with sugar transport was present at much higher levels in SqCC than ADC. That elevated level increases the cells’ “appetite” for sugar, the researchers found, and fuels cell growth.
The scientists also found high dependence on sugar in other types of squamous cell cancers, including esophageal, cervical, head and neck.
So how can this information provide help for cancer patients?
First, the data has prompted researchers to consider new therapies, including one that would inhibit levels of the protein that carries glucose. In initial tests with such an inhibitor, researchers found slowed — though not completely halted — growth of SqCC. Scientists are now in the midst of organizing a large animal study on lung cancer using a sugar-restricted diet. Depending on those outcomes, scientists could use the data to develop new recommendations — which can offer dietary help for cancer patients and those looking to lessen their risk for cancer.
Sugary foods and drinks are prevalent in American society and, while many of us indulge in sweets on a daily basis, research is mounting about the dangers of sugar.